News: Registration requires "verification" before you are allowed to post. Be sure to check your "spam" folder to make sure that you receive the verification link. The e-mail should come from "Onnidan Fan Forum" with the return address -> staff@onnidan.com.

On Feb. 20, 1960, more than 200 Virginia Union University students descended on downtown Richmond. Their goal: End the segregation in food service, and stand up for their rights.

Two days later, 34 of the students were arrested.

“We made history that day, and things changed as a result,” said Elizabeth Johnson Rice, now 76, who was one of the students protesting.

Given the nickname of the “Richmond 34,” the group will be honored today with a historical marker at the place of their sit-in. The formal ceremony will start between 11 and 11:15 a.m. on Broad Street between Sixth and Seventh streets.

To begin their sit-in, the 200-plus students entered the “Whites Only” lunch counter at Thalhimers Department Store. They were refused service but stayed until the store closed.

On Feb. 22, 34 of the students, including Johnson Rice, returned and were arrested and charged with trespassing.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 34 students’ convictions after a tense legal battle, an impactful victory for the civil rights movement.

The historical marker comes after the “Richmond 34” were honored in 2010 with a large 50th anniversary celebration that featured a performance by musical artist John Legend to culminate a week of events.

The unveiling also comes after prominent civil rights leader Dick Gregory spoke in Richmond on June 17.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Union University held a chapel service on Thursday honoring the Richmond 34, a group of alumni who took part in a Civil Rights sit-in 59 years ago.

The Richmond 34 was a group of VUU students who conducted a sit-in at Thalhimers department store on February 22,1960.

"The anniversary of your justice and standing for the people of Richmond and black people around the world," said Dr. Hakim J. Lucas, VUU President & CEO, when he presented one of the members with a citation for the group.

The 34 were praised for their efforts in ending segregation and speakers urged the VUU students in attendance to follow their example when addressing issues facing minority communities today.

Support Our Efforts

Support our efforts

With all the divisive rhetoric on social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, websites such as ours, especially message boards, are under the watchful eye of the Internet giants. And those giants are coming down hard on sites like this one due to the perception of the need for better "oversight".

We recognize the cultural conflict that exists and over the past few months we've been accused of allowing content in posts/threads that supposedly violates some advertiser's policies. Those threads weren’t an issue in the past, but for some reason, they are an issue now. And we are being penalized (financially) because of it.

As a result we are coming to you directly for your financial support>

Please consider supporting our efforts to foster free and open discussion of current issues as they relate to the topics you are interested in.